The Gracious One sings while pushing herself down the driveway on her scooter, the One Full of Life digs in the dirt. It’s November in Florida, shorts can still be worn, though the heat isn’t as heavy and there’s a definite breeze in the air, it feels more like August in Ohio than a month before Christmas.

She sings Jiggle Bells at the top of her voice after I insist on her  finding something creative to do outside. In the background the Lively One fills in her own words…kids know joy in the moment, they are free to be!

Christmas. The story, the songs, the lights, the decor…brings a smile to any face.

Who would’ve thought such a beautiful holiday would bring so much contraversary? A once religious holiday for so many is now combatted with political correctness, consumerism, and self-righteousness.

TV ads, billboards, and mailers permeate our psyche claiming they have the best deal, claiming their product will change our lives!

Well, I hope by now, most of us realize no product really changes our lives…

And I hope by now, we realize that such a phrase like Merry Christmas isn’t meant to be offensive, but it sure gives the media a sensational story.

And I hope by now that just because we want to purchase a few gifts for our children on this holiday, doesn’t make us materialistic or slaves to some cultural phenomenom in December.

For the past several years, I’ve been re-evaluating my values and motives, sensing the Spirit of Truth tugging at certain sacred cows of mine, were they more important than He was…Christmas being one of them…mainly the trimmings, the glorified materialism, the rush to get decorations up faster than, pressure to get the latest trinkets for my children…or whatever else I may have allowed to steal my joy.

See, when we allow innocent phrases, cultural norms, traditions, rituals, ideologies to become more important than what they were meant to be, we’ve allowed them to steal from us. Stealing the joy in the moment, stealing the importance of celebrating one another’s differences, stealing the significance of why we celebrate or give a gift.

I’ve seen this trend recently of bucking consumerism, refusing to buy any gifts to give only to give to a good cause…hoping that act of kindness will bring balance to the world, ‘my act will make everything good and right.‘ Something in us wants to right all that’s gone wrong in the world, so in our own power, we rebel agains the norm, find a good cause and promote ourselves by announcing to the world,

“I am doing things differently this Christmas!”

…sigh…forgetting the One who did right all the wrongs.

I am in no way passing judgment on giving to a good cause, or suggesting we pass,  as much as I am saddened by the loss of living to the rhythms of His grace…placing ourselves in a position to see what He’s already done…

Finding the freedom to be…

…to be in Grace wherever I am…giving, getting, celebrating, proclaiming, or not.

Renewing my mind…to be intentional but not judgmental, to be open, but not ruled by trends. Trends have a slick way of getting us to follow them without a thought.

Learning the ability to walk in our identity, amidst our culture without having to prove anything, justify anything, or condem anyone, but to savor the flavor of life, in the presence of the One who created all good things for us to enjoy!

Forgetting that when we submit to any lawkeeping system, any mandate put on us by humanity, we’ve sabotaged the freedom working sacrifice Christ did on the cross. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Him, you fall out of grace. (Galatians 5 The Msg)

Christmas is full of different meanings for so many!

Christmas is Christ’s birth, a gift that did change lives.

Christmas is when Santa makes his yearly visit to all the little children in the world.

Christmas is a time when families intentionally acknowledge their love and appreciation for each other by spending time together, or giving a gift to each other.

Christmas is a time for remembering and reminiscing.

Christmas is a celebration of asthetic nostalgia when see lights, nativity scenes, and frosted snowmen.

As a cultural holiday, we embrace the festivities of gathering, of laughter, of lights, of thankfulness, of pleasure, of knowing we are fully loved!

So, recently as I sat in my favorite red chair, the day after Thanksgiving, only about an hour after my husband arrived home from Black Friday shopping (gasp), I am overwhelmed with gratefulness that we can give our children gifts for which they’ve waited all year,…I exhale, overwhelmed with such gratitude, especially after the year we’ve had that we’re stronger, wiser, but more than anything else–freer.

He whispers, “Enjoy your Christmas.” I smile.

I sip my coffee, “Be present…wherever that takes you…I’ll be there.”

If it’s gift shopping, I’ll be there.

If it’s giving to a good cause, I’ll be there.

If it’s watching a traditional holiday movie, I’ll be there.

If it’s watching a live nativity scene, I’ll be there.

If it’s trimming your tree, I’ll be there.

If it’s sipping hot chocolate, singing carols, around the fireplace, I’ll be there.

If it’s serving at a soup kitchen, I’ll be there.

If it’s lighting a candle at a service, I’ll be there.

Don’t over do it, don’t under it, and pass on judging those who might not do it.

It’s hard for humanity to mix the sacred and the secular, we like the black lines, we like to check off our lists, even in the most progressive way, we’re still drawing lines of sacred and secular.

Take your children there, listen to their wish lists, tell them the Christmas story, tell them the Santa story, see their eyes light up at watching the Polar Express, sing carols together, take a family gifts, go shopping, study how other cultures celebrate, look for fun and festive houses en route…whatever you do, do it unto Him, because He… is… there.

For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love. (Galatians 5 The Msg)

Instead of claiming allegiance to a philosphy or ideology, or succumbing to pressure to do Christmas a certain way…enjoy it, be present…because He will be wherever that takes you.

Merry Christmas!

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